Are you fed up with print projects dragging on or reaching completion only after their deadlines have long since passed? Print can be a protracted process involving many different stages, particularly if you’re embarking on an ambitious marketing campaign. It’s frustrating when projects are held up and deadlines pushed back, but it is possible to reduce print turnaround times with a little foresight and a lot of hard work. Take a look at these four top print management tips to help your print projects get through the door more quickly in future.
Set pre-deadline deadlines
We’ve talked about pre-deadline deadlines before on the PMG blog, but we won’t apologise for repeating ourselves here. The fact is, there are few better ways to improve time management than by telling yourself you have less time than is actually the case. Set pre-deadline deadlines for every stage along the print journey: at the planning stage, at the design stage, at the sign-off stage and the production stage – even at the distribution stage. Doing so will give you that all-important margin for error. You might even want to consider telling certain members of staff that deadlines are looming earlier than they really are!
Be realistic
It’s important to manage expectations in every aspect of print. It’s great to be ambitious, but there’s a fine line between pushing the envelope and biting off more than you can chew. Aim for realistic deadlines that your teams can comfortably achieve, and don’t be over ambitious where your print projects are concerned. Make sure that your ambitions are achievable, and if you want to do something especially impressive within tight time constraints, bring in some professional help.
Keep in touch
Print is often a process involving various teams all working on different aspects of a single project to achieve the same results. It’s hardly surprising, then, that poor communication can push deadlines back and increase print turnaround times. Keep in touch with teams at all stages of the print process, letting them know what’s required of them and keeping them up to speed with timeframes. Don’t be surprised when your design team can’t meet the deadline if you drop an unexpected project on them at the last minute.
Pre-flight check
Print turnaround times are often increased thanks to mistakes, and mistakes at the printer’s can be the most time consuming of all. Pre-flight checks can help to minimise the chance of encountering such errors, troubleshooting compatibility issues and assessing potential design flaws before any costly failed prints can trundle off the production line.
Don’t let print deadlines pass you by and don’t let missed opportunities keep you up at night. The team at PMG can help to reduce your print turnaround times and increase the effectiveness of your print marketing efforts, all while saving you money and cutting your company’s carbon footprint. Contact us today to find out more about the benefits of print management.
